Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- [Via Communist Internet... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] [Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ] . . ----- Original Message ----- From: Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <mailto:Undisclosed-Recipient:;@mindspring.com> Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2001 4:21 PM Subject: PENTAGON & NASA TOGETHER ON SPACE DOMINATION http://www.space.com/news/military_space_010829-1.html =================== + =================== Thurs. Aug 30, 2001 U.S Air Force and NASA Work Closer on Strategic Space Control By Leonard David Senior Space Writer ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO -- The United States Air Force and NASA are beefing up their cooperative efforts to develop reusable launch vehicle technologies in an effort to assure the American military's dominance and control of space for national security purposes. A just completed review of NASA and Air Force cooperation in space urges for a closer affiliation with the civilian space agency on reusable space launch technologies, and other technology work now underway. Reusable space launchers An early outcome of this affiliation is for the U.S. Air Force Space Command in Colorado Springs, Colorado to significantly increase the Air Force presence at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The NASA field center is now engaged in shaping next generation reusable space launch vehicles, ostensibly to replace the space shuttle in future years - a $5.8 billion, five year program tagged the Space Launch Initiative, or SLI for short. For its part, NASA has committed to better focus technology work in reusable launchers toward national security objectives, but doing so in a way that is consistent with the space agency's primary objectives in SLI, said Air Force Lt. General Roger DeKok, Vice Commander, USAF Space Command. "The Air Force is going to be involved far more closely with NASA in their Space Launch Initiative," DeKok said. Realignment and restructuring Lester Lyles, Commander, Air Force Material Command, said that a realignment is now underway between the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles, California with the U.S. Space Command. This new organizational structure may also include the realignment of some Air Force laboratories to enhance work on space technologies, he said. "We cannot afford to loose this battle of technological dominance, and we will not loose that battle," Lyles said. Science and technology to protect U.S. space assets, and to deny any adversary use of similar hardware, demands preeminence in research, Lyles said. "And we are dedicated to keeping it that way," he said. "There's a lot more we can gain by a closer link with NASA and their various centers in the area of space and aeronautical technology," Lyles said. Partnership in the making A Space Partnership Council video meeting was held earlier this month, bringing together NASA's Daniel Goldin, General Ralph Eberhart, Commander of the U.S. Space Command, and Keith Hall, Director of the National Reconnaissance Office. That meeting kick-started a 60-day review by the Air Force to look at the basis for NASA's decisions in awarding contracts for the SLI, and also to gain a military perspective regarding the space agency's X-series of programs, including the now-canceled X-33 program. The X-33 was a possible replacement for the Space Shuttle The X-33 was an experimental reusable, suborbital space plane that was scuttled by NASA after the space agency and industry teams spent over $1.2 billion. There is on-going discussion regarding revival of the project, but under the wing of the U.S. Air Force. DeKok and other Air Force officials offered snapshot views of a reshaping of military space prowess here at Space 2001, a conference organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and being held here August 28-30. The shift toward greater emphasis on space for national security needs is being led by Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. Prior to being appointed to his post by President Bush, Rumsfeld led a national commission on use of space for national security needs. Space power Acknowledging that melding military organizations to create a more unified aerospace force is a tough assignment, DeKok said "this is not a hostile takeover. This is a merger of the willing". "We are mindful of the fact that people are going to judge us not by what we say, but what we do in this process," DeKok said. This new organization will allow the U.S. Air Force to be a better steward of all of the services' requirements, along with the needs of the National Reconnaissance Office, in establishing a more coherent and better focused national security space program, he said. Retired General, R. Fogleman, former Air Force Chief of Staff, likened the growth of military space power today to the evolution of air power that began in the early 1920s. He urged that senior leaders need to step up to new ideas, even though money to fund such projects is currently in short supply. "This is critical in this area of space and it's critical to the success of where the Air Force is going to have to go over the next few years," Fogleman said. Tough decisions must be made regarding footing the bill on new aircraft contrasted to enhancing military capabilities in space. Today, there is an air and space force. Not too far into the 21st century, the priority of air over space forces will shift, with space taking a far more dominant role, he said. Industrial base Retired General Thomas Moorman, now Vice President of Booz-Allen & Hamilton in McLean, Virginia, underscored the worrisome trend in America's aerospace industrial base. That base has been "financially stressed" and somewhat crippled by mergers and too much of a focus, for the most part, on evolutionary, rather than evolutionary technology development, he said. Government investment is required to maintain a future technology supply and to spur innovation, Moorman said. For the government's part, being a more reliable customer of space products is critical. Moreover, the government should increase space research and development and focus on those critical technologies unique to national security, he said. Moorman said that there is good news to report in the last year. Numbers of steps are underway to develop a new relationship between government, academia and the commercial industry. Bush space policy At the Bush White House level, Moorman said that space issues are being handled through a policy coordinating committee for space. "This is to improve the overall government awareness and coordination of space issues, by a standing policy body rather than dealing with them on an ad hoc basis" as was done under the Clinton Administration, he said. This White House committee is made up of 10 subcommittees that deal with such topics as space transportation, export controls, as well as the health of the nation's space industrial base. It is this group that will likely hammer out the first drafts of the Bush national space policy, Moorman said. Moorman said that the United States must address how best to keep the technological edge in space for security purposes. Maintaining an edge over foreign commercial competitors, as well as America's military competitors, is exceedingly important, he said. Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space PO Box 90083 Gainesville, FL 32607 (352) 337-9274 http://www.space4peace.org [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
